Annual grades fall sharply for Florida schools

Published: Friday, July 26, 2013 at 11:40 a.m.

Last Modified: Friday, July 26, 2013 at 11:40 a.m.

TALLAHASSEE — The number of top-rated schools in Florida is falling sharply.

The Department of Education on Friday released new A to F grades for many of the state's public schools.

The grades showed that the number of A-rated schools fell nearly 39 percent this year, while the number of F-rated schools more than doubled.

The number of F-rated schools could have been much higher. Earlier this month, the State Board of Education voted by a 4-3 margin to tweak the formula that allowed as many as 150 schools to avoid getting an F grade.

The decision to change the grading standards was done over the protest of some officials who said the move would confuse parents and mask the true performance of many schools.

Reader comments posted to this article may be published in our print edition. All rights reserved. This copyrighted material may not be re-published without permission. Links are encouraged.